James R. Huston, MBA, CPE, has over thirty-five years of diverse business management experience and holds an MBA degree in finance. He is also a member of the American Society of Professional Estimators. He is a Certified Professional Landscape Estimator and he is one of only two such CPLE’s in the world.
As a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, he held positions in finance, aviation supply inventory management and procurement. After his tour of duty, he became a senior production control analyst for the Electronics Division of General Dynamics.
Since 1987, he has been a management consultant to the Green Industry. Early in his career, he was in charge of the consulting division for Charles Vander Kooi and Associates, Inc.; and in 1989 he formed J. R. Huston Consulting, Inc.
Mr. Huston has written seven books that deal specifically with the Landscape, Irrigation and Tree Service Industries. They are:
- Benchmarks for Landscape Construction Professionals
- Job Descriptions for Green Industry Professionals
- A Critical Analysis of the MORS Estimating System
- How to Price Landscape & Irrigation Projects
- Strategic Planning for Landscape & Irrigation Contractors
- Preparing for & Responding to a Down Economy
- Estimating for Landscape & Irrigation Contractors
Mr. Huston has developed five software programs for the Green Industry. They are:
- The Bid Suite
- The Estimating Budget program
- Quick Bid
- The Estimating Platform program
- The Bid Board/Lead Tracker program
Mr. Huston has assisted in the computerization of the estimating and/or accounting of hundreds of companies in the Green Industry. He has also closely monitored a number of those companies over an extended period of time. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada consulting with Green professionals and also conducting workshops, seminars and installing estimating software.
Mr. Huston is a firm believer in education. In addition to his MBA in Finance, he holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Christian Apologetics.